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Click for full image.
What goes for pyramids goes for other solids, as we shall see —
and mountains. This principle of adding volume and illuminated surface
area to a flat site without loss of sunlight absorption is easily
demonstrated with a sheet of paper. Lay a piece of typing paper
on a table. It will occupy 93.5 square inches of table surface.
Screw it up, partially stretch it out, and lay it on the table again.
Now measure it on plan. It measures, say, 7" X 6". At 42 square
inches it is now occupying less than half of the area occupied by
a flat sheet. But its surface is only crinkled, not changed in area.
You have created a volume with an illuminated surface greater in
area than the area of its base.
In Asia you can see mountain slopes invariably terraced for farming
on all slopes that are not too steep, rocky or icebound. Nothing
is wasted. The forested areas left on the upper slopes and in the
steep gullies are a necessary part of the system since these trees
with their deep root systems stabilize the topsoil (Figure 1). All
the fields get whatever sunlight is available for at least part
of the day. The fields are flattened only to the degree necessary
to make cultivation possible. To go further would be counterproductive
since it would take up much more labor time in earth moving, more
rocks and labor building higher retaining walls and would reduce
the area of the field and therefore, the yield (Figure 2).
The farmers live in compact village settlements close to the fields
but invariably on the steeper slopes, leaving the prime land for
the growing of food. They build their houses of the same materials
as the terraced fields; earth and rock. In many cultures, such as
these Tibetan ones, the houses have flat roofs so that they appear
as inhabited parts of a continuous homogenous landscape (Figures
3,4,5,6 and 7). Indeed the roofs are also used for agricultural
purposes such as threshing or drying peppers (Figure 8). For centuries
these villagers lived in a stable equilibrium with their environment.
They had strong communal structures that protected and maintained
the elaborate and vital irrigation channels and prevented the erosion
of the forest slopes above, from which wood was gleaned for their
only energy source, the mud-built kitchen stove.
Click for full image.
When the central government took over, these communal structures
were fatally weakened. As a result the surrounding slopes quickly
became shorn of all their vegetation. Mud slides became common and
people found it had become necessary to take horses on a two day
trek to find firewood.
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In my capacity as an architect I was contracted by UNICEF to carry
out environmental improvements in some of these villages. I developed
an inexpensive polyethylene solar water heater they could install
on their flat roofs and made a prototype solar oven out of the ubiquitous
biscuit tins which are one of the few manufactured objects found
in the area. I also built a demonstration solar heated school and
a passive solar hotel. These experiments at least showed that there
were ecologically sound solutions to some of their problems. In
the long term, though, they need an enlightened government that
will restore autonomy to their traditional communal institutions,
combined with the kind of educational and technical support that
is generous and above all, relevant.
These examples of the present day problems of a mediaeval society
may not seem relevant to industrialized urban society entering a
new millennium, but I submit that they are relevant, for the following
reasons:
- 'Agribusiness', more than any other sector of industry, is
in urgent need of reform mainly because it is bringing about the
depletion of irreplaceable topsoil. Part of the remedy consists
of growing the food closer to those who consume it. This means
a large increase in urban agriculture, horticulture, hydroponics,
permaculture and food gathering, mainly on roof terraces.
- Industry needs large scale conversion from fossil fuels to
solar and other clean power sources. Prototypical development
at village scale precedes application at urban and global scales.
In both cases current practice uses polluting hydrocarbon based
fuels. In both the practice is unsustainable and undesirable anyway.
So much for the physics of urban ecology. Now for the metaphysics.
Click for full image.
In addition to the radical technological reform that is needed
there is a corresponding change in 'mind set' required. The human
species cannot go on acting as if the universe was created for its
sole benefit by a humanoid Deity who made us in His image, and sanctions
us to trash and burn everything we think stands in our way. The
Enlightenment gave birth to the scientific revolution that made
possible our industrial civilization. But Europe, which cradled
this development, carried the baggage of a powerful religious mythology
that was in fundamental conflict with it. This only really becomes
clear today when we have seen scientific inquiry lead to an understanding
of the unity of all life in the biosphere, the cutting edge of science
we now call Ecology.
Whatever our belief is regarding the existence or non-existence
of an original Creator, there is a fundamental difference between
believing that the human species is essentially of a different order
and origin than the other species and believing, as most of us do
today that we evolved. It is the first belief that has led us to
our present impasse, and, the second belief that needs to prevail
if we are to survive, since, without it, we will never achieve the
degree of respect due to our evolutionary ancestors that is prerequisite
to our re-entry into their world as fellow creatures of an ancient
earth culture. Without that kind of re-awakening we will continue
to destroy habitats and drive to extinction life forms that are
98% as complex, miraculous, and rare, as we are (Figures 9 and 10).
The truth is, it is only that one remaining chance genetic mutation
that lead to one primate developing language. The rest is history,
literally.
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